Department for International Development

Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration

lord balfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to sign the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in Morocco on 10 December; whether they have consulted other EU Member States on signing the Compact; and whether they intend to seek the views of Parliament before committing themselves to a decision.

lord bates: Well-managed migration is in everyone’s interests. But uncontrolled migration erodes public confidence, damages economies, and places those on the move in situations of intense vulnerability. The UK is taking significant steps to tackle uncontrolled migration by:Addressing the root causes of migration, through our targeted assistance for livelihoods, healthcare, education and economic developmentTackling modern slavery and organised immigration crimeSupporting enhanced border managementProviding critical humanitarian support and protection for vulnerable migrants, as well as offering voluntary return and vital reintegration support to those wishing to return homeSupporting refugees to stay in a first safe country through our humanitarian and development work in Africa, the Middle East and AsiaThe Global Compact for Migration is one way in which we are working to ensure that UK migration priorities are embedded throughout the international system. It is a step forward in international co-operation to tackle irregular migration and helpful framework to help us deliver our commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals.The Compact is not legally binding. Instead, it creates a framework that will allow countries to work together to make migration more beneficial for everyone. It protects every State’s right to determine its own immigration policies, including in areas such as asylum, border controls and returns of illegal migrants.We have worked closely with our EU colleagues throughout the process and will continue to do so as we approach the intergovernmental launch event in Marrakesh. My colleague the Rt Hon. Alistair Burt MP recently spoke to the APPGs on Migration and Refugees about the Migration Compact.

Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration; and whether they intend to sign the Compact.

lord bates: Well-managed migration is in everyone’s interests. But uncontrolled migration erodes public confidence, damages economies, and places those on the move in situations of intense vulnerability. The UK is taking significant steps to tackle uncontrolled migration by: Addressing the root causes of migration, through our targeted assistance for livelihoods, healthcare, education and economic developmentTackling modern slavery and organised immigration crimeSupporting enhanced border managementProviding critical humanitarian support and protection for vulnerable migrants, as well as offering voluntary return and vital reintegration support to those wishing to return homeSupporting refugees to stay in a first safe country through our humanitarian and development work in Africa, the Middle East and Asia The Global Compact for Migration is one way in which we are working to ensure that UK migration priorities are embedded throughout the international system. It is a step forward in international co-operation to tackle irregular migration and helpful framework to help us deliver our commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals. The Compact is not legally binding. Instead, it creates a framework that will allow countries to work together to make migration more beneficial for everyone. It protects every State’s right to determine its own immigration policies, including in areas such as asylum, border controls and returns of illegal migrants. We have worked closely with our EU colleagues throughout the process and will continue to do so as we approach the intergovernmental launch event in Marrakesh. My colleague the Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP recently spoke to the APPGs on Migration and Refugees about the Migration Compact.

UN Commission on Population and Development

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to send representatives to the 2019 meeting of the UN Commission on Population and Development.

lord bates: 2019 is an important year for the UN Commission on Population and Development as it marks 25 years since the Cairo agreement at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and 50 years since the formation of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). UK representation at the Commission will be decided in due course. We would encourage all UN Member states to attend at the highest appropriate level.

Department for Transport

Aviation: Allergies

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish the results of research carried out by the Civil Aviation Authority into allergen exposure in aircraft cabins; if so, when; and what plans they have to address severe allergic reactions on aircraft.

baroness sugg: The Civil Aviation Authority has undertaken an evidence review of passenger exposure to peanuts and tree nut allergens on airlines to establish the scientific evidence for the risks, and to identify what mitigation measures, if any, would be appropriate on the basis of the evidence. The report is due to be published before the end of the year. In its forthcoming Aviation Strategy green paper, the government is proposing a policy to provide consistent standards for allergy sufferers to make certain that consumers know what to expect when they fly.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Global Positioning System

lord bowness: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the costs of (1) developing an independent UK GPS system, and (2) continued participation in the EU Galileo project.

lord henley: The initial analysis undertaken in partnership with UK industry concluded that a UK Global Navigation Satellite System could cost between £3-5 billion over a ten-year build phase. In August, my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister tasked the UK Space Agency, with the full support of the Ministry of Defence, to develop options and set aside £92m for the necessary Engineering and Design studies to refine and test these initial estimates.If the UK wished to participate in the Galileo project from 2020 this would be a matter for future negotiations, as it would be for all programmes. Member States do not contribute to individual EU programmes but to the EU budget as a whole. The UK’s financing share of the EU budget is based on a number of elements, such as the UK rebate and our customs duties transfers to the EU and fluctuates with changes to the levels and types of EU spending. It therefore not possible to estimate future contributions to specific EU Programmes.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Court of Justice of the European Union

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, under the terms of the draft agreement on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU, in what circumstances they anticipate UK judicial authorities being required to have regard to the case law of the Court of Justice of the EU after the transition period has ended.

lord callanan: As provided for in Article 4 of the Agreement, where Union law is applied by the Withdrawal Agreement, UK courts will interpret it in conformity with relevant case law handed down by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) before the end of the implementation period. They will also pay due regard to relevant CJEU case law handed down after the end of the implementation period when considering the interpretation and application of the Withdrawal Agreement in UK law.

Department for Education

Education: Asylum

lord murphy of torfaen: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help improve the educational attainment of asylum-seeking unaccompanied minors at (1) Key Stage 4 level, and (2) all other key stages.

lord agnew of oulton: Unaccompanied asylum seeking children are ‘looked-after children’ and local authorities have a duty under the Children Act to promote their education. The government’s statutory guidance ‘Promoting the education of looked-after and previously looked-after children’ attached makes clear that local authorities should have procedures in place to promote and monitor their educational progress. This includes the statutory requirement for local authorities to appoint a Virtual School Head (VSH) to discharge their duty to promote the educational achievement of all looked-after children. The statutory guidance also stresses the importance of providing stability and continuity in education, particularly at Key Stage 4. Looked-after children are one of the groups of pupils that attract Pupil Premium Plus funding. This is additional funding provided to schools to help improve the attainment of looked-after children and close the attainment gap between them and their peers. The VSH monitors how this funding is spent. The Department for Education has also contributed £1.3 million through the Government’s Controlling Migration Fund over two years, to enable six local authorities to address the education needs of unaccompanied children so that their specific needs can be addressed through their Personal Education Plan. The local authorities are also developing tools and resources to share with all other local authorities through the National Association of Virtual School Headteachers. 



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English Language: Education

lord murphy of torfaen: To ask Her Majesty's Government what data they monitor and assess on students studying English as an additional language.

lord agnew of oulton: The department monitors and publishes various sets of data relating to pupils in state-funded primary and secondary schools in England who are classed as having English as an additional language (EAL). The most recent statistics on the number of EAL pupils, as identified through the January 2018 school census, are included in the “Schools, pupils and their characteristics” statistical publication, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2018.Published statistics also show the academic performance of pupils whose first language is other than English in national assessments during year 1 and at the end of key stage 1, which are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/phonics-screening-check-and-key-stage-1-assessments-england-2018.Published statistics collected at the end of key stage 2 are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-curriculum-assessments-key-stage-2-2017-revised.Published statistics collected at the end of key stage 4 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/revised-gcse-and-equivalent-results-in-england-2016-to-2017. In addition, data on pupil entries to qualifications in English for speakers of other languages are included in the key stage 4 qualification data that can be downloaded from the school performance tables webpages here: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/download-data.The department also publishes data on the number of adults who are accessing English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses, based on Individualised Learner Record data supplied by further education providers and can be found in table 6 here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/further-education-and-skills-november-2017. The data sets and analysis found at the above links contain many tables and documents that we are, therefore, unable to attach.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education

lord murphy of torfaen: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to promote character education in schools.

lord agnew of oulton: World-class education is not only about having the highest standards in academic and technical education, it also means ensuring that education builds character. The government wants children and young people to believe that they can achieve; to have the tenacity to persevere with a task; to be able to recover from adversity; and to link their efforts with uncertain or distant rewards. Developing these character traits means children and young people are more likely to have positive education and labour market outcomes. The department supports young people to participate in a range of activities that can help develop character, such as the National Citizen Service, the Cadet Expansion Programme, and competitive sport.Almost 500,000 young people have taken part in the National Citizen Service since it was launched in 2011 and we want all young people to have the opportunity to take part in this life changing programme. ​The Cadet Expansion Programme was launched in June 2012 with the aim to deliver 100 new Cadet units in English state‐funded schools by September 2015. This target was achieved ahead of schedule, with 100 approvals by March 2015, and led to a commitment to grow the total number of cadet units parading in schools to a total of 500 units across the UK by April 2020. We are on track to meet this target and there are currently 471 approved units.Additionally, we are investing £22 million in an Essential Life Skills programme in the 12 Opportunity Areas to enable disadvantaged children and young people living in some of the most deprived parts of the country to participate in regular extra-curricular activities and develop their character and to further drive social mobility.Ofsted is currently developing proposals for new education inspection arrangements, and plans to consult on these in January 2019. This will include a proposal for a graded judgement on pupils’ personal development. The department is engaging with Ofsted as it develops its proposals, including in relation to coverage of pupil character.

Schools: Accountability

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Agnew of Oulton on 11 July and 20 October (HL9052 and HL10598), when they intend to publish the consultation document on reviewing the school accountability system.

lord agnew of oulton: It was announced on 9 November that the consultation will take place in the New Year.The consultation will be focused on considering how schools that might benefit from support can be best identified.

Maintained Schools

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many new local authority maintained schools have been established since 1 January 2014 as a result of the amalgamation of two or more maintained schools.

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government which new local authority maintained schools have been established since 1 January 2014 other than by amalgamation; and for each school, (1) what was the relevant local authority, (2) what category of school was established, and (3) what was the reason of the establishment.

lord agnew of oulton: Since 1 January 2014, 42 new local authority maintained schools have been established. Of these schools, 25 were established as a result of amalgamation.The table attached lists the LA maintained schools that have been established since 1 January 2014, alongside the relevant local authority and the reason for establishment. This includes all local authority maintained mainstream provision, but does not include special schools, pupil referral units or LA maintained nursery schools.This data was obtained from ‘Get Information about Schools’ (GIAS).[1]It has always been possible to establish a new local authority maintained school, in certain circumstances, under section 10 or section 11 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006. Section 10 proposals require the permission of the Secretary of State prior to their publication. A ‘new school’ may not always be ‘new provision’, and may be replacement provision following the closure of one or more schools. This includes where a school has opened as a result of an amalgation (where two or more existing schools have closed and have been replaced by a new school), where a school changes its religious character, or where independent schools join the state-maintained sector. [1] The responsibility for updating GIAS is shared between the Department for Education, local authorities and schools, it changes each day as data is removed and uploaded therefore we are unable to guarantee complete accuracy. 



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